In the wake of the power update, we’ve identified a few features that overlap nicely with the new power system and other ideas we’ve had for quite some time.

One of these features is the ability to draw groups of blocks separately and apply various graphical effects to them. Among other uses, this will allow us to display the inner workings of ships quite nicely, e.g. highlighting a specific salvager/weapon array, a circuit, damaged blocks, etc. There are several existing uses for this, but it will be especially useful on future features, such as: scanning other ships, getting an overview of your reactors, highlighting potential issues therewith, etc. We’re aiming to do a release with this feature implemented in quite a few areas.​

We will be updating Advanced Build Mode with increased functionality. This will include the above highlighting, as well as new tools. This update will not only make reactor design much easier (and allow integration of their features), but it will also give players better building tools in general. Among these planned features is a fill tool, which will allow you to progressively fill any area, as well as tools to draw lines and possibly arcs.​

Power Update

Thank you again for additional feedback. We went through most it, and we will be addressing more of your concerns later on where needed.

Major concerns

After reading all of the concerns and debates over the new power system, we can address two of our major concerns players had with the mechanics. The first is that players are limited to a single active reactor per ship, and the second is that only a single reactor would ever be active for a group of docked entities. We agree that some of these issues may be valid, but are not something we can easily solve in a balanced way.

We came to the conclusion that implementing a working multi-reactor system right now would compromise the whole reactor system as we do not know that system on its own works in-game.

That’s why we’ve decided that after implementing the base system (and after its initial balance passes) we will look into the concerns about the single-reactor issue again, to have a better overview on the possibilities in this system. Specifically, we will re-examine allowing docked entities to have their own active reactor, and possibly even allow multiple active reactors per entity to see if we can find a balanced, non-exploitable way to implement them without introducing countless rules and restrictions.

We definitely appreciate all of the feedback we’ve received thus far. It has gone a long way to help shape and solidify StarMade’s next steps. Given the work we’ve been doing, we are planning a pre-release build in a week or two. Be on the lookout for that build, and if you have questions on our release cycle, please refer to the following: StarMade Release Cycle & News Posts​

Glad to see that we'll be able to play around with the new reactors here pretty soon!

I was worried that the Devs would just buckle at all the feedback and move it to the back-burner again. I think I speak for most of us when I say that having SOMETHING new to work with soon would be the best, since I mainly want to get back to building stuff again.

If nothing else, The new build-mode tools would be good for seeing things on ships without having to fly through randomly with build mode until you stumble across the block group by the block name indicator at the bottom, or randomly cut into a ship that potentially already has entities on tit that may be in danger of undocking as you remove to check.

Given the work we’ve been doing, we are planning a pre-release build in a week or two.

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...Wait, you guys already have that much done?

I was fully expecting an in-between update with the fleet order saving and some more bugs fixed, but damn, we're getting the systemsupdate!

Out of curiosity, will at least some of the the station chambers (that do things like increase mining yields) be coming out with the initial release? My Esyaari-class outpost station's main hull/interior is done as of yesterday and it'd be awesome if there was something special it could do.

One of these features is the ability to draw groups of blocks separately and apply various graphical effects to them. Among other uses, this will allow us to display the inner workings of ships quite nicely, e.g. highlighting a specific salvager/weapon array, a circuit, damaged blocks, etc. There are several existing uses for this, but it will be especially useful on future features, such as: scanning other ships, getting an overview of your reactors, highlighting potential issues therewith, etc. We’re aiming to do a release with this feature implemented in quite a few areas.

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When applied to build helpers, would this make them slow the game down less? =D

Here i was worried that it might take a year to get this change up to a releasable standard.. I just hope it helps with what i believe is its intended purpose in making RP ships nearly as powerful as there system filled counterparts..

Could you also consider looking into giving the pirate spawning algorithm a little more leeway in what can be spawned.. i.e. allowing for greater variety in what is able to spawn dependent on your ships mass or how many times you have attacked them. tools that allow for greater customization of pirate spawning to where they can potentially spawn progressively bigger and badder ships..etc

Here i was worried that it might take a year to get this change up to a releasable standard.. I just hope it helps with what i believe is its intended purpose in making RP ships nearly as powerful as there system filled counterparts..

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That's not its intended purpose; you're thinking of the first proposal. :P

(that wasn't the first proposal's intended purpose either per se, but that was the de facto direction that it was headed in)

That's not its intended purpose; you're thinking of the first proposal. :P

(that wasn't the first proposal's intended purpose either per se, but that was the de facto direction that it was headed in)

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well damn.. I know it has been a desire of theirs when at one point they were talking about adding NPC's to ships that would give RP ships certain perks and the many other times they (hinted) at making RP ships more viable for PvP.. Guess ill just keep cramming every nook and cranny for now.

well damn.. I know it has been a desire of theirs when at one point they were talking about adding NPC's to ships that would give RP ships certain perks

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There are plenty of reasons to add crew, but that isn't one of them... 'RP ships' with little room for systems will never really work well, I'm fairly certain.

What I gather as far as reasons for crew are that first of all, they make interiors on ships (which will still have to be reasonable and leave some space for systems) not a waste of space, and second of of all they make the universe and your ships feel less... dead. They also potentially create more forms or progression, more sinks for resources, another aspect to your 'power level' that isn't linked to block count, and plenty of other things.

and the many other times they (hinted) at making RP ships more viable for PvP.. Guess ill just keep cramming every nook and cranny for now.

There are plenty of reasons to add crew, but that isn't one of them... 'RP ships' with little room for systems will never really work well, I'm fairly certain.

What I gather as far as reasons for crew are that first of all, they make interiors on ships (which will still have to be reasonable and leave some space for systems) not a waste of space, and second of of all they make the universe and your ships feel less... dead. They also potentially create more forms or progression, more sinks for resources, another aspect to your 'power level' that isn't linked to block count, and plenty of other things.

Source? Link?

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The source is in their actions and in their intended goals for the future of the game.. At least it was at one point as you will find in this old post by bench where it seems NPC crew would have certain benefits and attributes over ships without them which would have had the potential of balancing RP ships with those of the system filled. StarMade Development Direction

Perhaps i haven't been keeping up with recent developments as much as i should.. So maybe things have changed in this regard? Or maybe it is just a case of mistaken intent

I was fully expecting an in-between update with the fleet order saving and some more bugs fixed, but damn, we're getting the systemsupdate!

Out of curiosity, will at least some of the the station chambers (that do things like increase mining yields) be coming out with the initial release? My Esyaari-class outpost station's main hull/interior is done as of yesterday and it'd be awesome if there was something special it could do.

Click to expand...

What? We're not getting the reactor update next. We're getting these build mode upgrades soon. The reactor update will be later. That's what I thought it was saying, anyway...

Glad to see that you are setting the groundwork to get the system overhaul out sooner rather than later, and I am always happy to see more advanced build functionality. Thanks for the update and hopefully it goes as smoothly as possibly on the development side.